Fuel prices for 2012 are estimated to be higher than ever before, but Safety Track and GasBuddy.com want to help.

GasBuddy.com is an interactive web-site that allows users to enter an address, city, or zip code to find current prices for all local gas stations. The gas station results are listed in order from lowest to highest price and provide a map and directions.

Download the mobile application or visit GasBuddy’s web page and you’ll be ready to fight high gas prices for 2012!

Visit Safety Track’s fuel management page for additional information on reducing your fuel costs.

The price of oil has skyrocketed, and trends show no signs of improvement. In the past few years, we’ve seen the highest fuel prices in history, and an increasingly volatile oil industry. In fact, 2011 set the record for the largest fuel price in a given year (inflation-adjusted). Unfortunately, high gas prices will continue in 2012, as noted in the illustration to the right, with experts projecting the price of diesel to be $3.85 a gallon (a 40% increase from 2010).

For most businesses, the increases in fuel costs are very problematic. A recent Inbound Logistics study shows that fuel is the second highest cost for logistics businesses behind employee salaries.

Now here’s the good news. Using predictive technologies (such as distribution business software) along with careful planning can reduce fuel costs and improve businesses’ bottom line. Businesses managing a fleet can handle rising fuel costs by following three general strategies:

1. Streamline fuel procurement
2. Improve operations and fleet management
3. Better plan delivery routes and shipment loads

Google has launched a new tool to their Crisis Response Project: Google Public Alerts.  This new platform is designed to bring relevant emergency alerts to the public such as natural disasters, severe weather, threats to public safety, and more.

The alerts are integrated into Google maps, and provide a time frame for the emergency, how severe it is, how soon it will strike, and how likely it is. Additionally, a detailed message is provided which further explains the emergency so the public may react accordingly.

Read the full Google Public Alerts article on Google’s blog.

Automotive-Fleet.com has released a special bonus issue which views Global Fleet Market Trends & Coverage.

The insightful study provides detailed statistics, data, and news in regards to individual countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa.

The report has excellent content that can help the U.S. Fleet Market by comparing the many differences and similarities among the Fleet Industry around the world.

Read The Entire Global Fleet Market Report

Are You Compliant?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates commercial transit rules, has updated their rules regarding Hours of Service (HOS).

The changes were decided late 2011 and have a compliance date of February 27, 2012 or July 1, 2013 depending on which of the five changes are being examined (read below).

Read the New Hours of Service Regulations & Recommendations

10. DO allow a few minutes to brush and scrape your vehicle. Clearing windows is crucial for visibility, and removing snow or ice from the top of your car will spare cars behind you from encountering an unexpected snow assault, impairing visibility or even cracking a windshield.

DON’T forget to clean snow and ice off your headlights and taillights as well.

9. DO use winterized windshield wiper fluid to make sure your wiper sprayer doesn’t freeze over or crack, preventing you from washing away dirt and salt.

DON’T try to melt ice from your windshield by pouring hot water on it. Using hot water can crack the windshield.

8. DO wash your car regularly to remove salt and dirt from the roadways.

DON’T let road grime prematurely age the body of your vehicle by neglecting to bathe it.

7. DO maintain at least half a tank of gas to prevent unnecessarily stranding yourself in adverse conditions. DON’T forget to check that all fluids are at proper levels and ensure all tires, including the spare, have the required pressure and tread.

6. DO prepare your car for an emergency. Essential items to keep in the trunk are a blanket to stay warm, proper attire (boots, jacket, hat and gloves) in case you have to be outside for an extended period of time, a shovel, flashlight with fresh batteries and snacks. Keep your cell phone charged to call help if necessary.

DON’T forget the kitty litter or sand, which can be used to provide added traction if your car becomes stuck in the snow.

5. DO remain aware of what’s around you on the road, including checking your blind spots and keeping an eye out for pedestrians or lost reindeer from Santa’s sleigh.

DON’T follow too closely. The general rule is the vehicle ahead should pass a road marker two seconds before you. In slippery conditions, it is recommended to double the amount of space between you and the vehicle in front.

4. DO apply even pressure when braking in slick conditions if your vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes. Keep in mind anti-lock brakes do not shorten stopping distance, but they do help you maintain control. DON’T become overconfident in snowy and slippery road conditions. Always test road conditions with cautious driving when the surface area is wet or icy, particularly on bridges and overpasses.

3. DO turn the steering wheel in the direction of the slide when driving on snowy or icy roads until you gain control. DON’T apply power or change directions suddenly on snow or ice.

2. DO stay calm if you find yourself stuck in the snow or broken down on the side of the road in adverse conditions. DON’T leave your car unless available shelter is close by. If you need to run the engine to stay warm, make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t clogged with snow so the interior stays clear of harmful carbon monoxide.

1. DO make sure you are awake and alert behind the wheel. If necessary, take a break and grab a coffee. DON’T lose track of how many eggnogs you consumed at the holiday party. The most important holiday safe driving tip of all is to refrain from drinking and driving under all circumstances. If you think you will drink, arrange for alternate transportation ahead of time.

While many state and local governments already have similar regulations in place, the NTSB proposal seeks to eliminate all non-emergency calls and texts from every U.S. driver.  If passed, the new ruling would even ban hands-free phone calls, which is far stricter than any other regulations we’ve seen.  However, devices aimed towards driver safety such as GPS navigation systems would still be legal to operate behind the wheel.

The aggressive new recommendation has been made in response to a four vehicle accident that occurred on August 5, 2010 involving two school buses, a bobtail, and a passenger vehicle.  As a result of the collision, two people were killed, while 35 passengers and 3 drivers were injured.  Only eighteen people were uninjured.

Additionally, we’re seeing growing evidence supporting  increased driver distractions.  A recent study even shows that most U.S. drivers admittedly distract themselves while driving, whether it be with a phone call, eating, or last minute grooming.

The discussion is ongoing and no concrete decisions have been made regarding the new proposal.  Visit the links below to learn more on this matter.

NTSB’s Official Summary and Proposal
Safety Track: Most U.S. Drivers Admit To Driving Distractions
Video: CNN Discusses Recommended NTSB Ban
Wall Street Journal Discusses Proposed NTSB Cell Phone Ban

Safety Track’s full line of products qualify as a 2011 tax deduction.  It’s definitely not too late to participate!

Call  888-286-9829 or e-mail info@safetytrack.net and we can get the ball moving so you can participate in a Section 179 Tax Deduction before the year is over and save some easy money.  Hurry! Right now is the time to act.

Read the article below to learn more about Section 179.

Section 179 Provides BIG $$$ Incentives…

Businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment purchased or financed during the tax year.

Invest in GPS and Fleet Management and receive a generous tax break designed specifically to help companies invest in technology and their business. Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment purchased or financed during the tax year.

What is the Section 179 Deduction? Most people think the Section 179 Deduction is some arcane or complicated tax code. It really isn’t, as the following will show you. Essentially, Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment purchased or financed during the tax year. That means that if you buy (or lease) a piece of qualifying equipment, you can deduct the FULL PURCHASE PRICE from your gross income. It’s an incentive created by the US Government to encourage businesses to buy equipment and invest in themselves.

Essentially, Section 179 works like this: When your business buys certain pieces of equipment, it typically gets to write them off a little at a time through depreciation. In other words, if your company spends $50,000 on a vehicle, it gets to write off (say) $10,000 a year for five years (these numbers are only meant to give you an example.)

Now, while it’s true that this is better than no write off at all, most business owners would really prefer to write off the entire equipment purchase price for the year they buy it.

In fact, if a business could write off the entire amount, they might add more equipment this year instead of waiting. That’s the whole purpose behind Section 179.

Limits of Section 179: Section 179 does come with limits – there are caps to the total amount written off ($250,000 in 2009), and limits to the total amount of the equipment purchased ($800,000 in 2009.) The deduction begins to phase out dollar for dollar after 800k, so this makes it a true small and medium-sized business deduction.

However, in 2009, businesses that exceed the $250k deduction limit can take a bonus depreciation of 50% on the amount that exceeds the limit. And then also take normal depreciation on the rest. Nice.

Who Qualifies for Section 179? All businesses that purchase or finance less than $800,000 in business equipment should qualify for the Section 179 Deduction. In addition, most tangible goods qualify for the Section 179 Deduction. Also, to qualify for the Section 179 Deduction; the equipment purchased must be placed into service between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. The deduction begins to phase out if more than $800,000 of equipment is purchased – in fact, the deduction decreases on a dollar for dollar scale after that, making Section 179 a deduction specifically for small and medium-sized businesses.

Leasing and Section 179: Did you know that your company can lease equipment and still take full advantage of the Section 179 deduction? In fact, leasing equipment with the Section 179 deduction in mind is a preferred financial strategy for many businesses, as it can significantly help with not only cash flow, but with profits as well.

Non-Tax | Capital Lease: The main benefit of a non-tax capital lease is that you can still take full advantage of the Section 179 Deduction, yet make smaller payments. With a non-tax capital lease you can acquire and write off $250,000 worth of equipment this year, without actually spending $250,000 this year. A small business that is managing cash flow can leverage a non-tax capital lease and still take the Section 179 Deduction

Examples of non-tax capital leases include a $1.00 Buyout, and a 10% Purchase Upon Termination (PUT) Lease. In many cases, the amount you save in taxes will be MORE than the total of your first year’s payments.

Equipment Financing: You may also obtain an equipment loan using an Equipment Finance Agreement (EFA) and still take the Section 179 Deduction.

Advantages of Leasing and Financing: The obvious advantage to leasing or financing equipment and then taking the Section 179 Deduction is the fact that you can deduct the full amount of the equipment, without paying the full amount this year. The amount you save in taxes can actually exceed the payments, making this a very bottom-line friendly deduction (you are reading this correctly – in many cases, the deduction will actually be profit.)

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has officially extended the Section 179 Deduction increases made available in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 through December 31, 2009

Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 and Section 179

In order to address concerns regarding a slowing economy, President Bush asked Congress to come up with an Economic Stimulus Plan that would benefit both consumers and businesses, and Congress responded with a comprehensive economic stimulus package.

On February 13, 2008, President Bush signed H.R. 5140, otherwise known as the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. The Economic Stimulus Act immediately grabbed headlines because most Americans would receive a check for $600 from Uncle Sam. While the Economic Stimulus Act was a boon for consumers, there were significant benefits in the Economic Stimulus Act for businesses as well.

In fact, Small Business benefited a great deal from the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. This is because the Section 179 Deduction limits were generously increased, and small businesses across the country reaped the rewards.

How your business will benefit from the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008
The Section 179 Deduction has been significantly enhanced by the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, and now extended an additional year by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, giving businesses an incentive to invest in themselves by purchasing or leasing new equipment.

The specific impact the Economic Stimulus Act has had on the Section 179 deduction is related to the dollar limits of the deduction. The previous dollar limits were a $125,000 limit on the deduction and the total amount of equipment purchased could not exceed $500,000. The Economic Stimulus Act raised these limits significantly. The new deduction limits are $250,000 on the deduction, and the total amount of equipment purchased cannot exceed $800,000.

To recap the new limits:

2007 Deduction Limit: $125,000
2008 Deduction Limit: $250,000

2009 Deduction Limit: $250,000

2007 Total Amount of Equipment: $500,000
(deduction decreases dollar for dollar after reached)

2008 Total Amount of Equipment: $800,000
(deduction decreases dollar for dollar after reached)

2009 Total Amount of Equipment: $800,000
(deduction decreases dollar for dollar after reached)

Bonus Deduction: Another change that the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 brought to Section 179 is it offers a one-time “bonus first year depreciation” of 50% on qualifying equipment. This is after the above deduction limit is reached. In other words, if you buy enough equipment to exceed the $250,000 deduction, you can take a “bonus” 50% depreciation on the rest – this is in addition to normal depreciation.

Everyone Benefits: Most small and medium-size businesses will find these new dollar limits generous indeed. The Economic Stimulus Act helped consumers, and it will also continue to significantly help most small businesses as well by lowering the cost of equipment that they need to purchase or lease to run their day-to-day operations.

Act Now: As of this writing, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has extended the one-year increase through the end of 2009. Unless it is extended, the Section 179 Deduction phases out completely in 2010, so if you want to take advantage of the higher limits, you need to act before the end of this year.

Always consult your tax advisor regarding this or any tax item. No liability is accepted for errors or misinterpretation. We are not experts.

While the reports’ data was gathered from within California’s borders, the findings represent alternative fuel uses worldwide in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases.  The report claims that widespread use of alternative fuel sources will not be recognized until 2030 based on the lifespan of the current vehicles on the road right now.  It also predicts that current fuel sources such as gasoline and diesel will be required in roughly 80% of lighter duty vehicles in the year 2030.

The expected alternative fuel sources that will emerge will be bio-diesel and renewable diesel as vehicles began to slowly shift towards these sources over time.  Ethanol, hydrogen, and electric vehicles will not be quite as prevalent by 2030.  However, the report does indicate that light duty vehicles will begin to electrify the drive train and implement rechargeable plug-in outlets in vehicles on a very wide scale.

Click here to read the full report in PDF format.

Take a look at these figures.  According to the poll, 86% of driver’s admitted to eating/drinking behind the wheel, 59% talk on a non-hands-free cell phone, 41% set or adjust their GPS device, and 37% text while driving.  Unfortunately, a quarter of respondents said they have driven after having two or more drinks, and 44% said they’ve felt sleepy while driving and momentarily doze off at times.  Click here to read the full article with all the provided statistics at Harris Interactive/HealthDay.

It’s important that driver’s are held accountable for their actions to keep them safe.  Fleet and driver safety is extremely important at Safety Track, which is why we offer a powerful In Vehicle Camera, recent winner of the 2011 Best Practice Award from the NSA.  If you’d like help with safety in your fleet, give us a call at 888-286-9829 or e-mail us at info@safetytrack.net and we’d be more than happy to help.